All Across America

A fifth-generation Nebraskan, JT is the creator of The Corn Belt, a social media platform showcasing small towns, local culture, and overlooked experiences across the state of Nebraska. @thecornbelt

The author of "Call & Response: 10 Leadership Lessons from the Black Church," L. Michelle Smith is a gospel singer, keynote speaker, and executive coach. lmichellesmith.com

When lights go out, lineman turn the power back on. Matt Horan is a journeyman lineman with two decades of experience and an instructor at the Lineman Institute of the Northeast.  linemeninstitute.com 

An auctioneer for 50 years, Mike has conducted over 4,000 auctions. He is a National Auctioneers Association Hall of Fame inductee and the 1998 International Auctioneer Champion. Mike owns three of the nation’s largest auctioneer training schools: America’s Auction Academy in Texas, World Wide College of Auctioneering in Iowa, and the Nashville Auction School.  mikejonesauctiongroup.com

Daniella grew up as a third-generation member of the Children of God cult. After leaving the cult, she served as an intelligence officer in the U.S. Army, completing two combat deployments to Afghanistan. Daniella is the author of "Uncultured," and her most recent book, "The Culting of America."

Elizabeth is a professor at the University of Georgia School of Law. She is the author of "The Pain Brokers: How Con Men, Call Centers, and Rogue Doctors Fuel America's Lawsuit Factory."

Erica is a third-generation doctor who practices family medicine in Santa Fe. Known as the "health detective," she specializes in treating chronic illness. Author of the recently released memoir “From Doctor to Healer," Erica was the first American woman to summit Aconcagua, the highest mountain in the Western Hemisphere. 

Trail name "Mighty Blue," Steve Adams is now attempting his third thru-hike of the 2,000 mile Appalachian Trail, walking north with spring. He is the host of the podcast "Mighty Blue on the Appalachian Trail," and the author of a series of books chronicling his hikes.

Andrew is the founder and team leader of Backcountry Unit Search & Rescue (BUSAR), serving the Great Smokies Mountains National Park. He is also a Wilderness Survival Instructor and member of the park's Wild Boar Eradication Team. He received the Department of the Interior Valor Award and the Tennessee Conservation Hero Award for his life-saving work. Teambusar.org | bigpigoutdoors.com

Jonathan is a mentalist, performer, and influence architect. A longtime mentee of The Amazing Randi, he vetted every entry submitted to the One Million Dollar Paranormal Challenge, a prize that was ultimately never claimed.

David is The Texanist, the author of the long-running advice column that appears in every issue of Texas Monthly, "the National Magazine of Texas."

Blake is an explorer of abandoned places and a multidisciplinary artist. He is the creator and host of abandoned: The All-American Ruins podcast.  *This episode was recorded on location from Blake's house.

Victor is a funeral director and the author of "Now Departing: A Small-Town Mortician on Death, Life, and the Moments in Between."

Jack is a distinguished professor of history at the University of Florida and a Pulitzer Prize–winning author of many books, including his latest: "The Bald Eagle: The Improbable Journey of America's Bird."

Author of "School Yearbook: The Untold Story of a Cringey Tradition and Its Digital Afterlife," Kate is a professor of culture and media at The New School.

The world's leading authority on prepping and preparedness, Jim is the author of "How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It," and is the founder of Survivalblog.com. He lives in an undisclosed location in the inland Northwest. 

Micah and Blessing spent the season as fire-tower lookouts from the 100-foot tall Walde Mountain tower in the Clearwater National Forest. In the New Year, they will embark on a cross-country adventure in a converted ambulance.  @theschweplerlife

Santa John has spent more than 25 years bringing the magic of Christmas to life, appearing at over 80 events every holiday season. He is a longtime member of the New England Society of Santas and the International Brotherhood of Real Bearded Santas.  *This episode was recorded on location from Santa's kitchen table.

Shari helped create the National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 988 Lifeline. She has worked as a crisis counselor for over 25 years and has trained thousands of people in crisis intervention. Shari is the Vice President of Crisis Care at Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services, the oldest organization of its kind in the United States. *If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, call or text 988. Crisis Counselors are available 24/7 nationwide.

Aaron has directed the University of Michigan's Debate Program since 2002. Under his leadership, the team won the National Debate Tournament in 2024.

Rob is on a quest to meet 10,000 people.  *This episode was recorded on location at the Warehouse Cafe. 

The Grateful Dead are one of the most influential bands in American history and San Francisco tech pioneers. Their innovations in sound are brought to life in Brian's book "Loud and Clear: The Grateful Dead's Wall of Sound and the Quest for Audio Perfection." A writer and editor at VICE, The Atlantic, and Vox, Brian teaches journalism at Northwestern University.

Tom is custom home builder and the owner Construction Services Unlimited. He and his crew have built dozens of high-end homes along the Long Island Sound since 1991.  *This episode was recorded on location from Tom's shop.

Kris is a science writer and the senior producer of the Academy Award nominated Lyme disease documentary "Under Our Skin." She is also the author of the acclaimed book "Bitten."

Marco is a Freemason and the Worshipful Master (President) of Jerusalem Lodge #49 of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons.  *This episode was recorded on location.

Andy is a ghost hunter, paranormal investigator, and author of "Ghosthunting Southern New England."  *This episode was recorded on location at the Tavern on Main, a haunted location featured in Andy's book.

A New York Times reporter for over 60 years, Ralph is among the longest-tenured writers in the newspaper's history. He co-authored the explosive New York Times article "Glowing Auras and Black Money: The Pentagon's Secret UFO Program," widely credited with sparking a renewed global interest in UFOs. He is the author of many non-fiction books, including "The Believer: Alien Encounters, Hard Science, and the Passion of John Mack," and with his wife, Debra, the children's book: "UFOhs!: Mysteries in the Sky."

Jenna is the founder of Above & Beyond With U, a disability and accessibility advocacy organization, and the author of “Within My Spokes.” She has been a full-time wheelchair user since the age of seven.  aboveandbeyondwithu.org

A 25-year Army veteran, Colonel Cummings is the author of "A Soldier’s Life" and an inductee into the Army Women’s Foundation Hall of Fame. Her advocacy to honor the 6888th Battalion secured the unit a Congressional Gold Medal, a story featured in the Netflix film "The Six Triple Eight."

Dave is a traveling sign-painter and pinstripe artist who spends seven months a year on the road. His artwork has been exhibited at the American Sign Museum, the Carnival World Museum, the RV Hall of Fame, and on thousands of vehicles crisscrossing America’s highways.  letterfly.com

Released 20 years to the day Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans, this is the true account of my life in the city and the people I came to know.

Iceman hosts the Motorcop Chronicles Podcast. A full-time Sheriff’s Deputy, he has served as a police officer since 1995.

Mary is a national correspondent for Indian Country Today News and the author of “Medicine River: A Story of Survival and the Legacy of Indian Boarding Schools.” She is a citizen of the Red Cliff Band of the Wisconsin Ojibwe.

A backcountry guide in Alaska and the Grand Canyon for over 25 years, Michael is the author of many books, including "Arctic Traverse: A Thousand-Mile Summer of Trekking the Brooks Range."  michaelengelhard.com

A writer and humorist, Felipe is a staff writer for the Late Show with Stephen Colbert and the author of "America, Let Me In: A Choose Your Immigration Story.“

Ross is a Revolutionary War reenactor. He leads the 6th Connecticut Regiment, portraying Lt. Asa Lay.  *This episode was recorded on location from the Keeler Tavern. A cannonball fired from the 1777 Battle of Ridgefield is still lodged in a supporting post of this historic landmark.  Keelertavernmuseum.org | 6thConnecticut.org

Lauryn Salazar is a third-generation mariachi musician, competition judge, and ethnomusicologist. She is an Associate Professor of Music at Tarleton State University and the Founding Director of the Mariachi Institute, set to launch this fall.

Michael is the Dean of the School of Public Health at Boston University, and a primary care physician. His is the author of many books. His latest is "A Living: Working-Class Americans Talk To Their Doctor."

Chuck is the North Dakota State Troubadour. He is a folk musician, songwriter, and working farmer. *This episode was recorded on location from Chuck's farm.

Dave is the Division Manager of New Alliance, a bean and grain elevator operator. The farmer-owned cooperative has been serving growers in western Nebraska and eastern Wyoming since 1942.  *This episode was recorded on location.

Sheila hosts the Growing Small Town Nebraska podcast. She is a fourth-generation Nebraskan and former radio personality with two decades on the air.  *This episode was recorded on location.

Kristin is a civil engineer at the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant, and is the co-founder of Mothers for Nuclear.  mothersfornuclear.org

Boyce is the author of "The Great River: The Making and Unmaking of the Mississippi," and the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of the magazine Southlands.

The coaches coach for Team USA, Guy is the Associate Director of Coaching Education at the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee. He spent 15 years as a coach for USA Archery and represented the United States in archery as an athlete.

Ajani is the chair of the Languages & Humanities Department at Northern Marianas College. He is an editor of the book: "A Marianas Mosaic: Signs and Shifts in Contemporary Island Life."

Amy is a veterinarian and founder of City Pets, which for over 30 years has been the premier house call veterinarian practice in New York City. She is the author "Pets and the City: True Tales of a Manhattan House Call Veterinarian."  *This episode was recorded on location from Amy's place. 

After serving over 20 years in the United States Air Force, Allen retired from active duty. Now stationed on the remote South Pacific outpost of Wake Island, he is an electronics technician for an Air Force contractor. He is also a HAM radio operator and has made nearly 9,000 contacts around the world under the callsign KH7AL.

Anita is a travel writer who has researched and written more than 20 Lonely Planet Travel books, including "Offbeat North America."  anitaisalska.com

Keith Norton is a voice actor whose work spans everything from cartoons to commercials, with clients ranging from Google to the Golden State Warriors. In the second half, we turn to Keith’s journey living with long COVID for five years.

Nancy is a psychic detective who has helped solve countless crimes. For nearly 50 years, she has assisted local police, the FBI, and international agencies. www.nancyorlenweber.com